Poaceae
Calamagrostis

Calamagrostis varia (Schrad.) Host

First published in Icon. Descr. Gram. Austriac. 4: 27 (1809)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Europe. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the temperate biome.

Descriptions

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/88247081/88247085

Conservation
LC - least concern
[IUCN]

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

Morphology General Habit
Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short. Culms erect; 30-120 cm long; 3 -noded. Culm-internodes smooth. Leaf-sheath oral hairs lacking, or ciliate. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2-4 mm long; lacerate; obtuse. Leaf-blades 10-25 cm long; 4-9 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a panicle. Panicle open; linear; dense; 5-20 cm long. Primary panicle branches bearing spikelets almost to the base. Panicle branches scabrous. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 4-6 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus bearded. Floret callus hairs 0.5-0.75 length of lemma.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 4-6 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus bearded. Floret callus hairs 0.5-0.75 length of lemma.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes persistent; similar; reaching apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 4-6 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein smooth, or scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein smooth, or scaberulous. Upper glume apex acuminate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma oblong; 4-6 mm long; membranous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface asperulous. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn dorsal; arising 0-0.1 way up back of lemma; geniculate; 1-3 mm long overall; with twisted column. Palea 1 length of lemma. Rhachilla extension 1 mm long; pilose.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; 1.5 mm long; dehiscent by a longitudinal slit. Stigmas 2.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform. Disseminule comprising a floret.
Distribution
Europe: northern, central, southwestern, southeastern, and eastern.
Reference
Aveneae. Fl Eur 1995.
[GB]

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/45937/11026091

Conservation
VU - vulnerable
[IUCN]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

    • Clayton, W.D., Vorontsova, M.S., Harman, K.T. and Williamson, H. (2006 onwards). GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora.
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.
    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • IUCN Categories

    • IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Science Photographs

    • Copyright applied to individual images